Self-contained sanitary closet



l. N, RUSSELL AND e. w. GRAYSON.

SELF CONTAINED SANITARY CLOSET.

` APPLICATION FlLED )AIL-2i, 192.1.. 1,419,587. i Patented June 13, 1922.

z SHEETS-SHEET 1.

I. N. RUSSELL AND G. WVGRAYSON.

SELFl CONTAINED SANITARY CLOSET.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. 21| I92I- 1,419,587. PatentedJune 13, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

lfor crushing feces and naar e "rase i@ ma EAN 1610011; RUSSELL, 01T' SYDNEY, .AND GEORGE 11T/'EN" FWVT31X5'II1'Il GRAYSON, .OF KENSNG- rondvaart svnnrir, nnw sonreir warns, ansrnenra. Y

SELF-CONTANED .SANTARIY y CLOSET.

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Application filed January $31-, 1921.

To all cli/tom t may concern Be it known that we, IAN NrooL RUssnLL, Imperial Service Club, Elizabeth Street, Sydney, N ew South l/Vales, Australia, and Gnonen YVENTWORTH GnarsoN, 183 Doncaster Avenue, Kensington, near Sydney, New South lVales, Australia., subjects of the VKing of Great Britain and Ireland, have invented new and useful Improvements in Self-Contained Sanitary Closets, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to sanitary Closets of the type in which fecal matter is resolved substantially to liquid condition, solids precipitated therefrom, and noisome elements deodorized by action of chemical reagents.

lhe Vpresent invention consists in a selfcontained sanitary closet characterized chiefly in that (l) the pan or receptacle is divided to form a lower section and an upper section, which are separable, (2) in said upper section mechanical means are fitted conveying the crushed matter into the lower section, and immersing it in resolving liquor therein, said means being dependent for their operation on manual movement applied to the seat and seat lid, (3) in said lower section means are provided for clearing the crushing mechanism of crushed matter and for separating paper from fecal matter. rl`l1e invention includes certain mechanical features which are hereinafter described in detail.

The crushing means consist of a pair of opposed rolls having drive axles which are carried in bea-rings fixed in the sides of the upper section of the receptacle. vThe pan or lower section of the receptacle is fitted with a removable wire 'mesh basket located below the crushing rolls; said pan isv also fitted with detachable scraperrbrushes which bear upwardly against the crushing rolls and function to sweep fecal matter therefrom and deposit it in resolving liquor contained in the pan. Rotative movement is applied to the rolls after each useof the closet by mechanism operated by seat and seat lid movement, the preferred type of mechanism for this purpose comprising a spring which is tensioned before use of the closet, linlage from the seat or seat lid with pawl and detent gear for winding up the spring, gearing' to the axles of the rolls driven by the spring, and check mechanism arranged to re- Specifcation of Letters Patent.

Patentes .rane is, ieee. Serial No. 438,823; I

lease the spring after each use of the closet thereby to permit rotation of the rolls.

Paper brought down between the rolls by their rotation is caught in the wire basket and retained in it, while soluble and'precipitable .matter similarly brought down and scraped off by the brushes is acted upon by a solution of ferrous sulphate contained in the pan whereby it is resolved 'to liquid condition with prec-ipitation of some solid matter, and is deodorized. Periodically, the wire basket is lifted out and the pulp of paper contained'in itis emptied; periodically also the accumulated liquor and precipitant are removed from the pan and a. further lquantity 'of solvent liquor placed* in it to keep the solution effective. When foul, the brushes may be removed from the pan and cleaned.

Though specific mechanism ishereinafter described for driving and controlling the rolls, it is to be understood that other appropriate mechanism may be substituted therefor, said mechanism being auxiliary to the essential features of the invention which are identified in the foregoing summary and particularized in the claims hereto.

ln the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the apparatus complete;

Fign is a transverse vertical section on the'planes 2`2 F ig. 1';

F ig. 3 is an external side elevational view;

,F l is a longitudinal vertical section on the plane a-l F ig. 1, and

F 5 is a fragmentary sectional elevation illustrating' an alternative arrangement of the brush carrier. The body of the apparatus is constituted of a lower section 10 forming a pan, preferably rectangular, and an upper section 11 which rests on the pan 10, is removable therefrom., land supports the apertured seat 12 and the seat lid 13. li-is a'treadle step which'is connected to the seat 12.

The pan 10 is constructed of sheet metal and should be provided with feet 15 to keep the bottom of it clear from the floor 16. Centrally, it is fitted with lugs or checks 17 to locate a removable wire mesh basket 18. The basket is reinforced by metal straps 19 which carry the rocking pins 20 on which the lever frames 21-21 are fulcrumed. On their outer ends these frames carry scrapers, which are most effective when constructed arms 99 which are as wire brushes 22-22 On their inner ends these frames are slotted to carry the hanger pins 23. Saidv pins are fastened down to a yoke 24 by helical springs 25 which are tensioned to tip the 'outer ends of the lever frames upward to cause the scraper brushes thereon to bear upward yieldingly against the crushing rolls 26 and 27. It isl not necessary that the scraper brushes be carried on a rocking frame supported on the wire basket. They may be supported independently of the wire basket so long as they are held yieldinglyV in contact with the peripheral surfaces of the rolls. A convenient support arrangement is shown in Fig. 5, where the brushes 22 are detachably fixed on spring bolted to the upper section of the casing, so that the brushes remain in contact with the roller faces when the upper section of the casing is raised.

A casting frame 28 fixed to the back of the pan 10 carries the pivots 29 for the ends of the shaft 30 and also the hinge pivots 31 on which the upper section casing 11 is mounted. 32 and 33 are pivot bolts with wing nuts for locking the yokes 34 and 35 on the pivots 29 and 31. Vhen these bolts are freed, the shafts 30 and the upper casing 11 may be detached from the pan 10. 36 is a drain pipe tted with a gate valve 37 to enable discharge of liquid matter from the pan 10. A lug 38 on one side of the pan 10 carries the pivot 39 for the lock pawl 40 of the roll rotating mechanism. Said pawl engages a detent wheel 41 fixed on one end of the axle 42 of the roll 26. When the weight of a person is imposed on the seat, or on the treadle step 14, this pawl 40 engages the detent wheel 41 and prevents rotational movement of the rolls 26 and 27.

The upper casing 11 forms a housing for the rolls and the rolls operating mechanism. It is preferably rectangular in shape and is constructed of sheet metal and appropriately re-inforced by metal sections and bands. 1t is adapted to rest on top of the pan 10, where it is located by its hinge yokes 34 and their pivots 31. It may be swung back on the pivots 31 to offer access to the pan 10 and parts contained in said pan, and when the bolts 32 are released it may be lifted off `the pan v10. 43 is a hopper preferably of fire-enamelled sheet steel fixed within the casing 11 pendant from the apertured top piece 44 thereof; the bottom end of this hopper is shaped to set closely to the surfaces of the rolls 26 and 27 but so as to allow working clearance. The apertured seat panel 12 is mounted on the top piece 44 of the casing 11 by hinges 46 fixed to a bolted on batten 47. The seat lid 13 is hingedly carried by leaves 49, which are pinned to a rock spindle 50 which is carried in lug bearings 51 fixed to the top piece 44.

A rock arm 52 is keyed to one end of the rock spindle 50, and is connected by a link 53 to a rock lever 54 which is carried on a sleeve 61 on the spring spindle 55,r said spindle having a detent wheel 56 keyed on it. The sleeve 61 is contained between the spin- Adie 55 and its bushing`62 in the side of the casing 11. 57 is a rubber bumper with which the lever 54 contacts when nearingthe end of its upward swing. 58 is a pawlpivotally carried on the lever 54, coacting with the detent wheel 56 and controlled by a back spring 59. Lifting of the seat lid 48V operates through this linkage and pawl and detent gear to yapply a partial rotation-to the spring spindle 55. Reverse movement of the detent wheel 56 is prevented byV a spring check pawl 60. The arm 63 onthe sleeve 61 carries one end of the helical spring 64. Said spring'is sleeved over the spindle 55 and its distant end is fixed to said spindle as shown at 65. When the spring 64 is tensioned by rotation of the sleeve 61 in the manner described, the spindle 55 is under torsional stress and tendsy to rotate. 0n its distant end, at the other side of thecasing 11 the spindle 55 sprocket wheel 66.

The axle 42 of the roll 26 is housed in bearings 68 in the sides of the casing 11, and on the end of it opposite the sprocket wheel 66 a sprocket pinion 69 is keyed. Similarly, the axle 70 of the roll 27 is carried in bearings in the sides of the casing 11, and on the end of it opposite the sprocket wheel 66 a sprocket pinion 73 is keyed. VThese bearings 71 are slide or slot bearings, 72 are fitted to bear against the' axle 70 to cause the roll 27 to bear up against the roll 26, but so that if any incompressible substance be dropped into the hopper, the rolls will separate whilst rotating to pass it downward. rllhe rolls bear resiliently the one against the other with a degree of tension determined by the setting of the springs 72.

A chain belt 67 of the cycle type is carried over the drive sprocket wheel 66,V around the sprocket pinion 69 and over the sprocket pinion 73. Rotationof the wheel 66 is thuscaused to effect rotation of the rolls 26 and 27 in the direction indicated by the arrows, that is towards each any substance deposited in the bay 74 formed by the rollers is crushed and brought downward into'the resolving liquor 7 5 contained in the pan 10 and is swept or scraped from the roller faces by thebrushes. The level of the liquor 75 is maintained sufficiently high to immerse a sector of the rolls 26V and 27 and the brushes. L

The check pawl 40 is pivotally connected to a swing link 77. is a bar, the top end of which takes under a plate on the underside 7 8 ofthe apertured seat 12, and its lower end is forked and straddles an offset pin 82 on the other one of the treadle shafts 30.

has keyed upon it a and leaf springs other and downward, so that This link 77 is carried pendent on the pivot 78 and is jawed on its lower end, the jaws being engageable with the pin 79 offset on one of the treadle shafts 30, 8l being a guide shaft. The treadle may be a one-step treadle or a tw0-step treadle as shown. It is bolted at 84 to the shafts 30, and is mounted on spring feet 85. The seatV lid 48 is balanced so that unless held open it Vwill fall to the shut position shown in the drawings.

The apparatus being set up and the parts positioned as shown in the drawing, the operation is as follows When a person approaching, steps on the treadle 14 its spring feet 85 are compressed and the ktreadle shafts 3() are moved downward, causing the check pawl 40 to engage the detent 41 and lock the roll gearing against rotative movement. If when the weight of the person is imposed on the seat 12 -his feet are lifted from the treadle 14 the lock is maintained by means of the seat pressure on the control bar 80. l/Vhen the person raises the seat lid 13 he applies rotative movement through the link and arm gearing 52-56 to the sleeve 61 which carries the spring 64 and thereby tensions the spring. But the rolls are held against rotation by the check pawl 40. Matter deposited on the bay 74 of the rolls remains there till the person leaves. IVhen the treadle is relieved of his weight, the check pawl 40 is released. Thereupon the spring 64 drives the sprocket and chain gear 66, 67, 69, 73, turning the rolls in the direction indicated by the arrows, causing said matter to be crushed and carried downward into the liquor 75 in the pan. Paper is caught in the basket 18 and retained therein, and adherent matter is scraped from the roll surfaces by the brushes 22 and deposited in the liquor 75. From time to time liquor is drawn away, the charge of resolving reagent is renewed, and when necessary the basket 18 lifted out and the paper pulp discharged and precipitated solids removed from the pan 10.

The metal surfaces are protected from corrosion by covering them with appropriate paint or varnish, and the mechanical parts external to the casing may be incased to protect them from injury or interference.

`What we claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A self-contained closet, comprising a pan adapted to contain a body of nightsoil resolving liquor, a casing with apertured seat at the top thereof, demountably supported above said pan, a pair of crushing rolls rotatably mounted in said casing with their lower sectors depending below said casing into said pan, means for rotating said rollers, and scraper means located in said pan and bearing against the rollers and adapted for removing adherent matter from the roller during the rotation.

2. In a self-contained closet including a pan in which fecal matter is resolved and deodorized by the action of a liquor thereon, means for facilitating the resolving action, comprising plain surface rolls located below the seat aperture and depending into the pan and adapted for crushing fecal matter, means for rotating said rolls so as to bring their surfaces bearing the crushed matter through said liquor, and means immersed in said liquor' for scraping said matter from said surfaces.

3. In a self-contained closet includin a pair of rolls for crushing feces deposited thereon and immersing the crushed matter in resolving liquor contained in a pan below said rolls, an openwork wire basket set in said pan symmetrically below said rolls, said basket adapted to retain paper and to permit soluble matter to pass through it.

4. In a self-contained closet including a pair of rolls for crushing feces deposited thereon and immersing the crushed matter in resolving liquor contained in a pan below said rolls, scraper brushes yieldingly supported within said pan and bearing upwardly against the surfaces of said rolls.

5. A self-contained closet, comprising a pan, a casing hingedly mounted above and detachable from said pan, a pair of rotatable crushing rolls mounted in bearings in said casing, an apertured seat above said casing and a hopper below same, an openwork wire basket 1n said pan, scraper brushes yieldingv ly mounted to bearvupwardly"against said rolls, and chain and sprocket gearing adapted for manual operation to effect rotation of said rolls.

6. In apparatus as set forth in claim 5, a coiled spring coacting with the roll driving gearing and arranged to be tensioned by manual action, and a locking device controlled by the weight of a person so that when it is relieved of said weight, it releases and permits the tensioned spring to rotate the rolls.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification.

IAN NICOL RUSSELL. GEORGE WENTWORTH GRAYSON. 

